7.8 Languages

"Knowing some other languages (not fluently, just a couple dozen
please and thank-you variety words) opens even more doors for you. The
locals appreciate your effort, even if the majority speaks English, and it
can help you even more in bargaining, getting directions while away from
the tourist areas, reading menus, etc.. Picking up a limited vocabulary
is usually quite easy while you are in the country as long as you make the
effort." <Sean Connolly>

"It is almost impossible to find places in the world today where an
English speaker cannot be produced to translate for you within a few
minutes. But if you cannot be bothered to do people the courtesy of
learning at least a few words of their language, you probably ought not to
be travelling in that country. A basic vocabulary can be gotten very
quickly and will open doors and hearts that are closed to others. The
secret to getting along in a foreign country with a few words and sign
language is not to be afraid of making a fool of yourself. The people may
laugh, but they are laughing with you, in the joy that here is someone
willing to meet them on their own terms. The worse you sound and the
harder you try, the more they will respect your effort. Laura says that
she does better in foreign languages if she concentrates on the face of the
person speaking, and the overall meaning they are trying to convey, rather
than getting hung up on individual words or keeping her nose in the
phrasebook." <Larry Lustig>

"If you want to be able to communicate, you must
either know the language or go to countries where your language is spoken
by more than just people who deal with tourists. So a list of countries
where English is spoken by the locals would be nice. Here are some: USA,
Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, Vietnam
(especially in the south, French in the north), South Africa, Zimbabwe,
Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Israel, UK, and Ireland." <Davy Davis>
Others: Malaysia, Fiji, Cook Islands, and Guyana.

"For any travel to Central/South America it is beneficial to make
some effort to learn Spanish unless you are restricting yourself to Brazil
(which is vast!), in which case Portuguese would be better! In other
places, for the most part English is widely understood to some degree;
although we found in Indonesia, that it was quite easy to pick up the
language, and very useful on many of the less touristy islands. This
knowledge also is helpful in Malaysia and Singapore." <Chris
Finlayson>

"Esperanto is an artificial language, with more than three million
speakers worldwide, in every conceivable country, and a strong sense of
cohesion and friendship if at times eccentricity. You can learn it quickly,
and it is very expressive with an incredible body of original
literature, poetry and music (including rock, folk, easy listening). If
language interests you in any way and you would like to make contacts
worldwide, learn this one. Just search the web for 'Esperanto material'
and 'course' -- you'll be surprised at how much you find. You can do an
online course and be ready for the road in a matter of weeks."
<Bernd Wechner>